Re: Does a good/great banjo have to be so heavy?

Folks
I'd like to add a comment that the video's I listed above regarding the Reiter A flat scale is not me. That fellow is a fine person by the name of RW Jones. He has an exceptional smooth and fluid touch on a banjo and makes these tunes his own. I've invited RW to head over and join us here. Check out his playing at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR_eC8ll1Po

and if you like his tune choices, research Dwight Diller

and I apologize to the OP if his question was directed more towards finding info on a resonator banjo-but knowing open backs offer lighter weight might be able to help you out anyway even if you are not interested in clawhammer style.
d

Re: Does a good/great banjo have to be so heavy?

I play a '63 Gibson RB-100, simple brass tone hoop, much lighter than the RB-250 Mastertones that I've owned, and , personally I like the tone better, and it still cuts the mustard over two Martins, a Gibson Mandolin and Kay bass in my group.

Re: Does a good/great banjo have to be so heavy?

Hi Dave - A correction if i may. John Hartford's Deering ''Woodtone'' was designed for him well before he became very ill. JH had a standard Bluegrass style banjo complete with tone ring,but he wanted a banjo with a 'woodier', less bright tone which suited his music. If it was puerly a weight consideration,he could have gone all out for a top quality open back banjo. The JH Deering 'Grenadillo wood' tone ring banjo also had 24 frets on it. In fact,prior to changing over to a Deering banjo,JH had played a Stelling
'model T' banjo made for him in 1983, which also had a wooden tone ring to satisfy JH's desire for a deeper,woodier tone. That was shortly after John had been diagnosed with cancer,
Ivan